Dawn broke after a night.
Birdsong sounded outside the window, and morning light streamed through the lattice, falling across a corner of Hancock's room in the Kuja Royal Palace.
-Chirp~
He felt a soft touch against his cheek-
Sephiroth woke up.
His surroundings were still dim, and the light reaching the Inner Court was faint.
Half asleep, he was about to get up from Hancock's broad, oversized daybed when-
"...!?"
He felt an indescribable sensation.
-Come to think of it, Hancock really gave it her all yesterday...
Perhaps seeing Gerd in person had stirred some peculiar competitive instinct in her.
"...Sephi..."
Before him, Hancock lay drowsy and languid, still half dreaming.
Her legs, clad in black stockings, were entwined around him outside the covers. The rest of her was curled beneath the blanket. Her long black hair gleamed, and her skin was as smooth and pale as milk.
And...as he gazed at that peaceful sleeping face.
Sephiroth leaned down, felt her stirring breath, and gradually tightened his embrace.
...Time passed.
Breakfast time-
In one of the halls of the Kuja Royal Palace, Marguerite, the blonde Kuja girl who served as deputy to the Kuja's chief housekeeper, Marigold, was leading the attendants in receiving Babylon's honored guests.
With Gerd, a female Giant, among them, the hall had been temporarily arranged as their dining area.
"Yaaawn-Marguerite~ Good morning~! Uta, Nami, you're here so early."
Carina yawned as she entered the makeshift banquet hall.
Although Marigold had prepared individual rooms for them yesterday, Gerd alone had stayed in her specially modified private room aboard the Silent Ship because of her size.
The band members had treated it like a group sleepover and simply shared one large room.
"Mmm-Morning~"
Uta had a meat bun between her teeth, eating in a manner utterly unbecoming of